Dear Faith
by LilyLivered
Summary: A letter. C'mon, read it. You know you want to :-) --UPDATED! Yay!--
1. Dear Faith

Dear Faith

Dear Faith.

By [][1]Lily Livered

This was an idea that just appeared... It might suck a lot, I don't know. - Lily

Dear Faith, 

I don't know if you heard If you sensed a disturbance in the force or something But Buffy died.

We actually drew straws for this, who should write to you and let you know And who would ask you for this massive favor.

Angel told us that they let you out for good behavior, and that he knew where you were staying. He wouldn't tell us though, for obvious reasons, so I had to give him this letter and make him promise to give it to you. 

Anyway, we had this goddess chick, Glory, and she was after Dawnie. (Remember her? The only one of us who still thought you were redeemable after the whole graduation mess. Just thought I'd put that in perspective for you there.) So, Glory was going to use Dawn to get home to her home demension, but if we let her, Dawn would die and we'd all go to hell. In the end, the bitca kidnapped Dawn and there was a whole lotta badness that eventually led to Buffy sacrifcing herself to save Dawn. And the world as well, but I don't really think that it was a priority for her at the time. 

This brings me to the less-than-fun part. See, Sunnydale doesn't have a Slayer anymore, and the Council told us that another one hasn't been called. (Something about cosmic balance, and Buffy having died once already. I didn't get it.) So That kinda makes you the one and only. You're The Slayer now, not just _a_ Slayer. 

Giles was We were _I_ was wondering. Well hoping really, that you would think about maybe coming back to the 'Dale. Maybe help us save the world some more. You're all we've got now, all that the world has standing between it and hell. I've heard that you're on the whole path to redemption now, and I figure this could be the place to do some redeeming.

What do you think?

Take care,

Xander

So... Should I write more? Is it a good concept? Please let me know :-)

   [1]: mailto:lily_livered@hotmail.com



	2. Dear Xander

Dear Xander

Dear Faith.

By [][1]Lily Livered

Dear Xander,

So, now you know that you can trust Angel. From the look of the postmark on this baby, he gave it to me the second it arrived.

You wanna know something freaky? I think I did feel it when B died. It's gonna sound wicked bad too, how I knew, but it was because all of a sudden I felt a little more powerful. Like somehow part of her strength got passed on to me. I think that if I'd still been in the big house, I coulda bent the bars on my cell.

And yes I do remember Dawn, thankyouverymuch. I was an evil bitch, but I didn't have amnesia. And I'm glad she's okay. Will you tell her that? And tell her that if Glory was still alive. Well, she wouldn't have been for a whole lot longer. See, I might not be redeemed, but my loyalties are lying pretty far away from the whole evil deal. So, um, give the kid a hug for me or something.

You're right, that part isn't fun. You know that if I came back, I'd still be in her shadow, and that's what got me into this whole mess. And I'm pretty sure most of the gang hate my guts, even the new ones who haven't met me. 

Are you sure that everyone thought I should come back? 

Faith.

Dear Faith,

I know that you know me well enough to know that I would never throw Angel as far as I can trust him. Uh... That's wrong, isn't it. But, I'm sure you get the point. me + angel-the-poofy-poof = no trust. (I think I've spent too much time with Spike.)

That doesn't sound wicked bad. Just a little bad. You probably shouldn't tell anyone else about the whole inheriting-Buffy's-life stuffs. It might make them jumpy. And it's probably just as well that you got out when you did, because I don't think the government looks kindly on people who break out of jail. That's something you can only do in Monopoly. And that's only if you're playing with Anya, and didn't tell her that you were lying when you said that anyone with a name starting with X can do that. But I digress. (And snicker a lot behind my hand.)

Are you sure about the amnesia? That would have been a good defence. And all messages were passed on, as was the hugging. ...I think Dawn appreciated it, so get Angel to give you a hug after you read this -- it's from me.

See, you're extending the non fun-ness of all this and making me beg. Which I won't do, because that is something better done in person... which I can do if you get your ass back to Sunnydale, pronto.

I am sure that you should come, but I'm not sure if the reception will be super warm. I mean, obviously you and Will don't really like each other, but I think you can both get past that. And me and Dawn will be nice to you, and so will Anya, because she used to be evil as well. Just... um... don't tell her about that thing that happened. The thing after you killed that Sister of Jhe. Okay? Okay. But back to the point. Giles might be able to get over it, because I think he values the world's continuing existance. And Spike wouldn't care. Riley won't care because he's missing in the jungle (long story) and Tara will only be mean if she's sticking up for Willow. (And that's no big, because Tara sucks at the whole being mean thing.)

Faith, the truth is that weather you like it or not, weather we like it or not, you are The Slayer. And no matter how much you don't like it, the world needs you to keep it from blowing up, or being sucked into hell. And I think that you need to be the one who does the stopping part.

See you soon? (Pleasepleasepleaseplease--- Ooops, forgot. No begging on paper.)

Xander.

   [1]: mailto:lily_livered@hotmail.com



	3. Letter on a bar napkin.

Dear Faith

Dear Faith

By [][1]Lily Livered

Dear Xander,

When can I start?

F.

When Faith appeared at Giles' front door -- two days ahead of the brief message she had scribbled on a bar napkin -- the Scoobies were gathered there. 

"Um, hi."

_What the hell is she doing here?_

_She came?_

_I knew she'd come._

_She looks like my kind of trouble._

_Did we do the right thing..?_

_Who is that?_

Faith could see the looks on their faces, could pretty much tell what they were thinking. It looked like Xander had been sugarcoating a little when he said that it would be cool for her to come back. 

"Who is that?" Anya frowned, automatically moving closer to Xander's side. "What is she doing here?"

"Um, I was kind of wondering that myself." Tara added. "Cause you all seem to know"

"This is Faith." Xander smiled brightly and pulled Faith through the doorway. "Faith, this is my fiancee Anya, and Willow's special friend Tara."

Faith raised one eyebrow in mild surprise, then shrugged. "Okay. I guess I've missed some stuff." She dropped her duffel on the ground and rummaged around in it. 

"Giles, Wesley asked me to bring this with." She handed him an old book. "He said that he accidentally took it with him when he left."

"Thank you Faith." Giles stepped forward and took it. "Uh Would you like anything to drink or..?"

"Nah, that's cool. I figured I'm here, I may as well do what I came for." She fidgeted. "You know, Slay some evil."

Hesitantly, Giles smiled, but then caught himself and stopped. "That's alright. I think you can wait a little before you get back into it. Have you found anywhere to stay yet?"

"No, I came straight here. Figured if maybe you wanted to run me out of town, at least I wouldn't have already payed for a night in a motel."

"Oh!" Dawn piped up from where she was lurking at the back of the group. "I know where you can live, Faith." She smiled brightly. 

_Dawn Don't_ Somebody thought. 

"You should totally move in with us -- me and Spike, I mean."

This time, both eyebrows raised. "I _really_ missed some stuff, didn't I."

"I look after the little bit." Spike supplied from his corner. "Keeps a roof over my head, and stops her from eating ice cream for breakfast."

"Thanks for the offer, Little D, but--"

"This is non-negotiable, Faith." Dawn said sternly. "You **will** live at my house, and you **will** like it. And you will also do the grocery shopping, because all Spike buys is beer and weet-a-bix."

"Um, okay." Faith smiled for the first time since her bus passed the 'Welcome to SunnydaleHELL' sign. 

~*~*~

"Are you sure that's a good idea..?" Willow frowned. Spike, Faith and Dawn had just left, headed for the Summers-the Bloody residence.

"Hey!" Xander protested. "She isn't bad anymore. We have to give her a chance."

"Besides, you didn't complain when Spike moved in there. And from what Xander's told me, he tried to kill you all a lot more times than Faith did."

"That's not the point." Willow pouted. "It's just, she's"

"Scary?" Tara supplied. "That's the vibe I was getting" She trailed off softly.

"Dangerous." Willow finished. "At least we know Spike can't hurt anyone. Faith could."

~*~*~

"Xander, will you tell me about Faith?" Anya asked as she snuggled under the blankets of their bed. 

"Um, Ahn, this isn't really a great time to talk about---"

"Xander, just because we just had sex doesn't mean we can't talk."

"I know, I'd just like it better that way. That, and I find that the night time hours are good for sleeping, and day time is good for talking. Besides, you and Faith came to Sunnydale around the same time. You probably met her."

"Fine. Just as long as it isn't because you're hiding something." Anya decided. "Because you know I know this spell that can--"

"Alright! We'll talk about Faith!" Xander sighed. "What do you want to know?"

"Why is she here?"

"Because I wrote her and asked her to come."

"Right And the two of you are friends?"

"I hope so. She's not such a bad person once you get to know he--"

"Did you have sex with her?"

"Have you been talking to Willow?"

   [1]: mailto:lily_livered@hotmail.com



	4. Dawn knew she'd come.

Dear Faith

Dear Faith

By Lily Livered

Note: I think this went somewhere without me, that I didn't really mean for it to go. Bleah. 

Thank you to everyone who reviewed the first few chapters, you gave me big happies :-) 

And Meada, I just want to defend my use of the word wicked -- Faith was the one using it, and I don't think she's from California. (Does anyone know where she's from?) Also, she's used it before on the show.

Sorry this is so short :-)

_I knew she'd come._

When Xander told me that he was writing to Faith to ask her to come back and be the Slayer again, I knew that she would. Come back I mean. Okay... so I **hoped** she would. Because having Faith here, with her being one of the good guys again, it would be like someone had pressed the rewind button on my life, and we could all go back to the times when Angel and Faith were around, before Oz and Cordy left... When everybody was happy. And alive.

And it's dumb, because in my head I know that none of that stuff really happened, that it was all part of a spell. But in my heart, I can remember the times when Faith and I would hang out and bitch about how much it sucked to live in Buffy's shadow, or when she would be there if I needed to go to a friend's house at night and Buffy was to busy to walk me. I liked how she called me 'Little D', and how much it bugged Buffy when she called her 'B'. 

When I try not to think about all the magic, I can almost believe that it all really happened. Some of it probably did, just without me.

But I figure that Faith, Xander, Giles, everyone... They all have the same memories that I have, and they all accept them as being real, and me as being real. I think I'm the only one who can't do that 24/7. And sometimes I worry that one day everyone will wake up and I'll be gone. And that no one will know that I'm gone because the spell wore off and they've all forgotten me.

But if Faith's here, I'll feel safer. Because whether she likes it or not there's a piece of Buffy inside her, the Slayer piece, and I think she owes it to Buffy to come back here and protect the world that Buffy died to save, and to save the people that Buffy died to protect.


	5. Willow wants to know what the hell she's...

Dear Faith

Dear Faith

By Lily

"What the hell is she doing here Xander?"

"Will... I knew you didn't like the girl but I didn't think you'd resort to potty mouth."

"You want potty mouth? I'll give you--"

"Ahh... No. That's okay. I get your point. But are you getting mine?"

"There was a point to this other than you having another girl in town to score with?"

_..._

_Click_.

"I'm sorry Xand. It's not you I'm mad at, it's her. Or maybe you just a little. You didn't even tell me you were writing to her."

"I thought I knew how you'd react. I guess I underestimated you. But for that little outburst... No Snoopy dancing for you this Christmas."

...

"You can't tell, but I'm making a sad, pouty face. I might even cry..."

"You're right, I can't see that. So you can sit there and pout while I tell you why this is a good idea."

_Sigh._ "If I have to. I guess."

"Will... Sunnydale **needs** a Slayer. And Faith needs a chance to make amends. I think this is a win/win situation we've got here."

"How do **I** win?"

"Well, your existance on this earth will be protected by someone who was born to do it."

"Do it?" _snicker._

"**Willow**. I meant born to save the world. Although, if she wasn't already a Slayer, she could certainly look forward to a lucrative career in--"

"Alright! I'll stop." 

...

"Keep going, Xand, I'm listening now."

"Really? No more naughty Will?"

"I Promise."

"So, back to where I was before I was so rudely interrupt--"

"Just get on with it..."

"So, world save-age is good for all, right?"

"Right." 

"And Dawn definately seemed happy to see her, and Dawn's happiness is a good thing, right?"

_sigh_. "Right."

"And you were completely happy to help Angel get back to his whole broody unlife once he was good again."

"Yeah, but Angel never tried to kill me! And he never beat me up."

"Uh, Will..."

"Well, he didn't. Angel**us** did all that stuff. Angel was just stuck there for the ride."

"You are **so** splitting hairs."

"What?"

"You know... Hairs are tiny and thin, and you can't cut 'em in half... ... I don't know. I just heard Giles say it once and it sounded good. But that's not the point. The point is, you were happy to give Angel a chance, and he tried to suck the world into hell. Faith was only a baddie for a little while, and she never actually killed any of us. Why can't you give her a break?"

...

"I'm still not convinced, you know. And I don't trust her."

"But you need to trust her. Or, she needs you to trust her. And I need you to be nice to her."

"Nice..?"

"How 'bout civil?"

"I might be able to manage. But she has to earn my trust. Right now, I have more confidence in Spike than I do in Faith, and he's supposed to be evil."

"Yeah, but Spike's gone downhill. He's whipped."

"By who?"

"Dawn. He's adopted her or something, and I don't think she'll ever be in danger while Spike's around, even if he got his chip out tomorrow."

_sigh. _"Remember the good old days? When all we had to deal with was Spike and Dru trying to open the Hellmouth? He's changed so much since then..."

"And Faith's changed since we knew her too."

"I hear jail does that to people."

"Really? I heard it was innate goodness."

"I guess we'll see who's right, won't we?"

"By who, do you mean me?"

_chuckle._ "Bye Xander. I'll see you."

"Bye Will. Love you. Say hey to Tara for me."

"Love you too. Don't say hey to Anya for me."

_click._


	6. Xander can't believe she actually came, ...

  
Grr... I've been wanting to update for a while, but a combo of ff.net and computer  
problems stopped me. Sorry 'bout that :-)  
  
  
Dear Faith  
  
By Lily (lily_livered@hotmail.com)  
  
"Xander... Are you sure we've done the right thing?" Giles frowned   
and took off his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose.   
"Hey, G-Man," Xander ignored the brief glare that Giles gave him for   
using the nickname. "I'm still digesting the fact that she actually came -- I   
haven't got to second guessing myself yet." He grinnned. "But now that you've   
burst my happy little bubble..." He shrugged. "I do think we've done right.   
Because Dawn needed her home, Sunnydale needed her here, and pretty much the   
whole world needed her on our side again. And I think that Faith needed all of   
that stuff as well, to help her with the whole redemption thing."  
Giles paused in his pacing to take in the long speech -- it was something   
that Xander only did rarely, and then only when he had something important to say.  
"And Willow?" Giles said finally. "How is she handling Faith's return?"  
"She's dealing." Xander sighed. "And even though she isn't mad at me any   
more for it, she still isn't ready to be friends with Faith. Or even civil to her,   
really."  
Giles allowed himself a wry smile. "I don't imagine she would."  
"I think she was really looking forward to Faith being evil next time she   
came to the dale. Because now, with her witchy powers, she is a lot stronger than   
the Willow that Faith knew back then. I mean, before she had trouble just dusting   
a vampire, but now she can almost hold her own against a god. I think that Willow   
could take her on, no trouble."  
"Yeah, I'm such a bad ass."   
Both men jumped at the sound of Willow's voice coming from the front doorway.   
"So, uh, Will. How long have you been--"  
"Listening to you two talk about me? I just caught Xander's whole celebrity   
death match fantasy starring me and Faith." Willow smirked and let the door close as   
she walked over to Giles' living room.  
"We were just... We didn't actually think that you would attack Faith." Giles   
rushed to defend their conversation.  
"You were right, though. I could so take her." Willow informed them. "I could   
open a big ol' can of Willow whoop-ass..." She trailed off, seeing Giles' face fall   
into its familiar, dissapointed, frown. "Not that I would though, obviously. I'm a good   
guy, she's a good guy. I was just saying that if she went back to the dark side or   
whatever..."  
As Giles and Willow went into the kitchen to make some tea, Xander grinned   
to himself.  
"Now... That is one deathmatch I'd like to see. With bikinis... and in mud."  



	7. Dear Buffy

  
This is pretty much the end. Hope you liked it :-)  
  
  
Dear Faith.  
  
by Lily  
  
  
  
  
Dear Buffy,  
  
  
Um, hey. It's me, Faith. You know, that girl whose guts you hate? Not that   
I blame you or anything, obviously. I was an evil skank, I deserved everything   
I got. I've been subbing for you the last few months, keeping your seat warm,  
and the hellmouth shut, you know?  
  
So... What's it like being dead? I wonder if it's anything like being in a coma.   
We should compare notes one day. One day, when you don't hate me and when we're   
both either dead or alive or ghosts or whatever.   
  
I'm rambling. Stalling even. I don't want to talk about the thing that this letter  
is written specifically to tell you about. Because the thing that this is about...  
It scares the crap outta me.   
  
They've found a way to bring you back, B. Willow was looking in those Wicca books   
of hers, and she and Tara think they've found a spell that will bring you back to   
the land of the living.   
  
Little D is beside herself. She's smiling all the time, and she's always talkin'   
about how wicked cool it will be when her sister comes home. (Uh, yeah, that's   
another thing. She says wicked a lot... My bad.) She's kept your room the way you   
left it, and she's in there all the time dusting and vacuuming and airing it out so  
that when you come home it'll be like you never left. I told her that if she wanted   
it to look normal, she should throw a bunch of your clothes on the floor and rumple   
the bed. I don't think she thought I was funny.  
  
Spike is stressed about the spell. He's still a bit nuts over you too though, so   
he's on a happy kick as well. I think he's worried that something will go wrong   
and that you won't come back, so he's trying not to get too excited.   
  
The G-man (I've got Xander callin' him that again, it's wicked funny) is pretty quiet  
nowdays. He's got no one to watch, and he can't even help Willow out with her mojo  
any more. He was about ready to call it quits and go back to England when they found   
the spell. And Spike isn't the only one trying not to get too excited, but Giles' fingers  
are so crossed that he'll never get 'em straight again. He was also mighty pissed when  
Anya let slip about the spell to Dawn. He didn't want to get the little D's hopes up too  
high, just in case it doesn't work.  
  
Xander and Anya are engaged. (Thought I should catch you up on a little gossip as well  
while I'm here.) They were even gonna let me come to the wedding. I thought it'd be funny  
if I helped Little D catch the bouquet, really shake up Giles. Ask her to tell you about  
how he proposed -- it's a real sweet story once you get past the way Anya tells it.   
  
And Xander was the one who convinced me to come, so you should thank him or something.   
Maybe throw him a bucks party with a stripper? I was going too, but... Fate's intervening.  
  
If you still hate me, Red's reaction to my return will give you a happy. She pretty much   
ignored me until I saved Tara from a demon. I think Tara convinced her that I had done   
some leaf turning, so now we have this 'I don't like you, but I respect you as an evil-  
fighter' thing going.   
  
  
So... I should probably get to the pointy part of this. The part where I explain why  
I can't tell you any of this stuff in person, when you come back.  
  
This spell that Willow found... I don't know exactly how it works, but I know that  
I'm kinda integral in the whole resurrection process. And the bottom line is...  
  
I'm gonna die.   
  
Willow'll do some magic, say some words, and you'll be alive and I'll be dead. And   
I'm mostly okay with that. It was even my idea. Because Red found the spell and was   
reading it out loud to everyone. Spike and I were lurking towards the back, and I heard   
her trail off when it got to the bit that said 'one slayer alive, one slayer dead...   
blah, blah, blah.' And I didn't sleep at all that night, thining about how they all looked   
at me and then looked away all sad. There was part of them that knew they couldn't even  
ask me to do it, that it wouldn't be right. But the other part wanted you back so bad...  
  
So I went to them the next day and told them I'd do it. They all tried to talk me  
out of it, but it was like if you tried to convince someone that you love them when you  
know that you don't -- you're heart just isn't in it. I don't blame them though -- everyone   
loves you, B.  
  
I know I'd never be as good at Slaying as you. I know I'd never be able to save the world   
the way you do. And I know I could never take your place in their world.  
  
And how's sacrificing your life as the ultimate act of redemption? I figure it'll  
earn me some brownie points with the powers that be, maybe I won't end up in Hell or whatever.  
So maybe I'll see you some day, a million years from now, and you can catch me up and we can   
not hate eachother. 'Cause I think I'd like that.  
  
Take care of them, B. Because nothing in life is as precious as people who love you -- take it  
from someone who doesn't have any.  
  
  
Faith.  
  
  
  



End file.
